Bethlehem more than a manger scene

By Phil Haslanger
The Capital Times
Dec. 24, 2005

On greeting cards, in Christmas carols, in nativity scenes the images of
Bethlehem that the world clings to are those of a small town, a crowded inn,
a quiet night punctuated by the sounds of animals and later the voices of
shepherds.
But even 2,000 years ago, Bethlehem was a more complex place than
that. Today, it stands at the junction of the conflict between Israel and
Palestine with a forbidding security wall snaking through its streets.
Yet a visit to Bethlehem last month found a city that could still
revel in the many strains of religious tradition that have made it far more
than simply a place to remember the birth of Jesus. Consider a few images
from that week.
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We attended a Christmas Eve service at a Canadian German Lutheran Church last night. The church itself is glorious in it’s beauty with the stories of Christ painted in pastels on the ceiling, angels, cherebim and seriphim standing in attendance in the alcoves. The pipes of the organ sorrounded the congregation, the voices of the choirs and the congregation raised in joy and expectation, children pointing at the sights and sounds, poinsettas arranged in tree shapes, violins and flutes…just awesome. Just awesome. But best of all, our sharing the moment with our only grandaughter cuddled on our laps.

Wishing you all a Christmas in which your hearts expand to feel the uncompromising, unconditional, patient and generous Love to which you belong.